Does ubuntu have a way to update the operating system, as new releases come out?
I know some distros have that option, but i dont think ubuntu does... if someone can clarify i'd appreciate it

atm i'm using ubuntu 16

This post was edited by ferf on Feb 10 2017 07:46pm

Apt is able to upgrade your system but I don't advise it.

There are too many ways to break your system because of the way apt handles dependencies and doing a full system upgrade my break some or most of the system if not monitored actively with a test run.

If you just want to run a newer kernel, compile it yourself. I am sure ubuntu has their default kernel config in /usr/src/linux, just fetch the newer sources from apt (if they are there) and then use the make utilities to generate a new kernel config from the old one.

I am sure ubuntu has a way to do all this with apt anyways with pre build kernel images. Ubuntu is for children after all.

You can switch current version with new version in /etc/apt/sources.list and /etc/apt/sources.list.d/* and then apt update && apt upgrade && apt dist-upgrade or (recommended) use the helper script do-release-upgrade. If working remotely it will even spawn secondary ssh server to work with (so the current one can be restarted cleanly)




First is of course possible, but its not inherent to the "way apt handles dependencies", and may happen in every single distro. That's why its pain in the ass especially on servers. Well of course rolling distros have less of a problem but they can break with single package upgrade just as well.

You don't have to compile newer kernel, there are automated builds (even signed) in ppa. There is nothing wrong with it, it assures your kernel is matching some dkms packages you might use from repo (bbswitch, nvidia, virtualbox, zfs ...) and may pin specific versions of those packages so that it doesn't fuck up.

And last point is just bullshit said be wannabes who want to feel important. I expected more from you

This post was edited by nuvo on Feb 12 2017 05:21am

Don't worry all distros that don't come with a minimal ISO are for children. Nothing specific to Ubuntu besides it's a bloated pre packaged piece of shit.

Although not my first choice, debian has a minimal ISO image that people can work from which is okay I guess.

How do you define minimal? Ubuntu server is small (700MB). There is actually minimal install cd too (~40 MB). You could probably boot it, debootstrap into target system and have 120MB installed ubuntu.

Minimal as in it just has the default gnu core utilities (https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/coreutils.html), some form of package manager (along with required dependencies such as perl or python), and perhaps a few other tools.

I like to build system specific vms and starting with a minimal image is a good start. For example I don't need a full X11 stack and a window manager for a vm whos only existence is to host an httpd and perhaps a SQL database daemon depending on project and abstraction. For that purpose is why I like the Gentoo minimal image. I think the Debian minimal image is along the same lines as well.

This post was edited by AbDuCt on Feb 13 2017 12:33pm